Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.
—George Santayana (1863 – 1952), Reason in Common Sense
Santayana’s statement sums up why we not only recognize Black History but, other
diverse contributions as well. All students must learn the importance of civic responsibility and engagement, appreciate current advancements, and understand the past while looking toward the future. Although some of our history may not be pleasant to hear about, I believe those
experiences better enable us to understand our ancestors and even ourselves. .
I challenged my students to research past and current achievements of African
Americans. Students completed posters and digital projects. Students were excited about several of their discoveries. For example: the story of Wes Moore, the first black governor of Maryland, and for my football enthusiast, the story of Ken Riley being inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame on Feb. 9, 2023 –which was happening in real time during their research. It is my hope that learning about past and present accomplishments of African Americans will inspire them to live life to the fullest and go on to accomplish great things.